Israel says commercial goods stopped entering Gaza over Hamas truck fees; Gaza's government denies imposing them
Israel says Gaza merchants stopped importing commercial goods over Hamas demands of about 10,000 shekels per truck. Gaza's Government Media Office denies imposing fees and calls the payment voluntary. Israel said shipments would resume on October 19.
Case period:
Published by The Dispute Index editorial teamPublished Updated
Overview
Gaza depends on the goods Israel allows through its crossings. Aid groups mainly bring in staples such as flour, while merchants import fruit, meat and other perishable foods, according to COGAT data cited by the Associated Press. A U.S.-brokered ceasefire that took effect in October 2025 sets a minimum of 600 trucks a day; Israel says commercial goods supplement the aid that enters. Israel has long accused Hamas of levying fees on imports to fund its operations. The Associated Press reported that an undersecretary at Gaza's Ministry of Economy told the truckers union the payment was a donation to help pay civil servants.
Timeline
5 timeline entries on this page. Dates: October 13, 2026 to October 19, 2026
October 2026
Gaza merchants stop coordinating commercial truck shipments, COGAT says
Incident
COGAT later says private-sector merchants informed it on this day that they were cancelling the coordination of their commercial trucks into Gaza, and that no private-sector vendor tried to import goods afterward.
[01]Associated Press
Associated Press report, republished by KSAT, with comments from COGAT's deputy spokesperson, the head of Gaza's private truckers union and the Norwegian Refugee Council.
Commercial goods are no longer entering Gaza, raising fears of worsening shortages in the territory · Associated PressArticle, full textCOGAT announces that commercial goods are no longer entering Gaza
Claim
COGAT says merchants stopped coordinating shipments over a fee of about 10,000 shekels per truck imposed by Hamas and a demand that 30 percent of sales be in cash. Its deputy spokesperson says the agency was prepared to coordinate the trucks as usual.
[01]Associated Press
Associated Press report, republished by KSAT, with comments from COGAT's deputy spokesperson, the head of Gaza's private truckers union and the Norwegian Refugee Council.
Commercial goods are no longer entering Gaza, raising fears of worsening shortages in the territory · Associated PressArticle, full text[02]Reuters
Reuters report, republished by Al-Monitor, on COGAT's announcement and Hamas's description of the 10,000-shekel payment.
Israel says commercial goods no longer entering Gaza after merchants suspend coordination · ReutersArticle, full textGaza's Government Media Office denies imposing fees on commercial trucks
Reaction
The office calls COGAT's statement false, says the 10,000-shekel payment is part of a voluntary community initiative and calls for 600 trucks a day to enter Gaza.
[03]Government Media Office (Gaza)
Arabic-language statement from the Gaza Government Media Office, dated Thursday, October 15, 2026, rejecting COGAT's account of truck fees and cash rules, posted on its Telegram channel in two parts.
Government Media Office press statement responding to COGAT on the entry of commercial goods into Gaza (in Arabic) · Government Media Office (Gaza)Telegram posts 5186 and 5187, full text[04]Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera report on the halt, including the Gaza Government Media Office's response to COGAT.
Israel halts commercial goods from entering Gaza; Hamas denies tax claims · Al JazeeraArticle, full textCOGAT says Israel did not initiate the suspension
Reaction
COGAT says merchants suspended coordination out of fear for their safety over Hamas's taxation demands and threats, and that the aid entering through the UN and other channels meets Gaza's needs without private-sector shipments.
[05]Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories
COGAT's post saying Gaza merchants suspended the coordination of commercial trucks because of Hamas's taxation demands and threats, and that humanitarian aid continues to enter.
COGAT on X: Israel did not initiate the suspension of private-sector goods entering Gaza · Coordination of Government Activities in the TerritoriesPost, full textCOGAT says commercial shipments will resume
COGAT says merchants reported that Hamas had withdrawn its demands for about 10,000 shekels per truck and for cash sales, and that coordination will resume gradually, with payments allowed only by documented bank transfer. It says the merchants' reports do not in themselves verify that Hamas has stopped imposing taxes.
[06]Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories
COGAT's post announcing that coordination of commercial goods into Gaza will resume gradually, with payments required by documented bank transfer.
COGAT on X: coordination of goods into Gaza to resume after merchants report Hamas withdrew its demands · Coordination of Government Activities in the TerritoriesPost, full text[07]Reuters
Reuters report, republished by Al-Monitor, on COGAT's decision to resume commercial shipments into Gaza.
Israel to resume commercial shipments to Gaza after Hamas fee dispute · ReutersArticle, full text
Claims
Claims separate what was said from what is contested. Follow each source for the original wording and context.
What's disputed
Disputed claim
Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories
Gaza merchants suspended the coordination of commercial goods into Gaza because Hamas demanded about 10,000 shekels per truck, required about 30 percent of goods to be sold in cash and threatened merchants who refused.
What is disputed
Gaza's Government Media Office denies imposing any taxes or fees on commercial trucks and says the 10,000 shekels is part of a voluntary community initiative. The head of Gaza's private truckers union told the Associated Press that Israel imposed the restrictions. On October 19, COGAT said the merchants' reports that Hamas had withdrawn its demands did not in themselves verify that Hamas had stopped imposing taxes.
Sources (3)
- COGAT on X: Israel did not initiate the suspension of private-sector goods entering Gaza · Coordination of Government Activities in the TerritoriesPost, full text
- Commercial goods are no longer entering Gaza, raising fears of worsening shortages in the territory · Associated PressArticle, full text
- Israel says commercial goods no longer entering Gaza after merchants suspend coordination · ReutersArticle, full text
Disputed claim
Government Media Office (Gaza)
Gaza's government has imposed no taxes or fees on commercial trucks, and the 10,000-shekel payment is part of a voluntary community initiative that funds aid for vulnerable groups.
What is disputed
COGAT says merchants told it that Hamas demands the payment for every truck, threatens merchants who refuse and arrested the son of a merchant who did not comply. The Associated Press reported that a Ministry of Economy undersecretary described the payment to the truckers union as a donation to help pay civil servants.
Sources (2)
- Government Media Office press statement responding to COGAT on the entry of commercial goods into Gaza (in Arabic) · Government Media Office (Gaza)Telegram posts 5186 and 5187, full text
- Israel halts commercial goods from entering Gaza; Hamas denies tax claims · Al JazeeraArticle, full text
Response record
Responses
Choose one response filter, or select All responses to see the full record.
2 matching responses. Newest first.
Coordination of Government Activities in the TerritoriesIsraeli Ministry of Defense unit that coordinates the entry of goods into Gaza, in a post on its X accountDirectly involved Before this statement
The post opens by saying that, contrary to recent reports echoed by Hamas, Israel did not initiate the suspension of private-sector shipments of goods into the Gaza Strip.
"private-sector merchants informed COGAT that, due to Hamas's forced taxation mechanism and threats against merchants who refuse to comply with its demands, they had decided to suspend the coordination of trucks carrying goods into the Gaza Strip until further notice, out of genuine fear for their lives and safety."
CondemnedResponding to: Gaza merchants suspended the coordination of commercial goods into Gaza because Hamas demanded about 10,000 shekels per truck, required about 30 percent of goods to be sold in cash and threatened merchants who refused.
Full statement and sources
COGAT says Gaza merchants told it they suspended the coordination of commercial trucks into Gaza out of fear for their safety, because of what it calls Hamas's forced taxation mechanism and threats against merchants who refuse to comply.
After the statement
The post says the merchants reported that Hamas demands about 10,000 shekels for every truck and requires about 30 percent of goods to be sold in cash, and that Hamas security personnel arrested a merchant's son after his father refused to pay. It says humanitarian aid continues to enter Gaza through the UN, international organizations and donor countries.
COGAT on X: Israel did not initiate the suspension of private-sector goods entering Gaza · Coordination of Government Activities in the TerritoriesPost, full textWhy this label?
The reference point is the payment of about 10,000 shekels per truck that Gaza's Hamas-run authorities sought from merchants bringing commercial goods into Gaza, which Israel cites for the October 2026 halt in commercial shipments. COGAT calls the payment part of a forced taxation mechanism enforced with threats against merchants, a direct criticism of it.
This label describes the statement's response within the context above.
Government Media Office (Gaza)Press office of Gaza's Hamas-run government, in a statement on its Telegram channelDirectly involved Before this statement
The statement says COGAT is spreading false claims about payments forced on merchants in order to blame Gaza's government for the disruption of truck entry, and that the office has written about it to the mediators Egypt, Qatar and Turkey and to UN and other international officials.
"We categorically deny the imposition of any government taxes or fees on commercial trucks. (Translated from Arabic. Original: ننفي نفياً قاطعاً فرض أي ضرائب أو رسوم حكومية على الشاحنات التجارية.)"
Challenged the characterizationResponding to: Gaza's government has imposed no taxes or fees on commercial trucks, and the 10,000-shekel payment is part of a voluntary community initiative that funds aid for vulnerable groups.
Full statement and sources
Gaza's Government Media Office denies that the government imposes any taxes or fees on commercial trucks, rejecting COGAT's account of why commercial shipments into Gaza stopped.
After the statement
The statement says the office has not collected taxes or fees on commercial activity for three years, and that the 10,000 shekels COGAT cites belongs to a voluntary community initiative whose funds go to orphans, widows, children, students in need and relief projects. It says the 30 percent cash rule was agreed with the chamber of commerce to address a shortage of cash.
Government Media Office press statement responding to COGAT on the entry of commercial goods into Gaza (in Arabic) · Government Media Office (Gaza)Telegram posts 5186 and 5187, full textWhy this label?
The reference point is the payment of about 10,000 shekels per truck that Gaza's Hamas-run authorities sought from merchants bringing commercial goods into Gaza, which Israel cites for the October 2026 halt in commercial shipments. The office denies that the payment is a government tax or fee and calls it a voluntary contribution, disputing COGAT's description of the payment.
This label describes the statement's response within the context above.
Sources
(7)
Original post
COGAT on X: Israel did not initiate the suspension of private-sector goods entering Gaza
About this source
COGAT's post saying Gaza merchants suspended the coordination of commercial trucks because of Hamas's taxation demands and threats, and that humanitarian aid continues to enter.
- Author
- COGAT (@cogatonline)
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Israel halts commercial goods from entering Gaza; Hamas denies tax claims
Relevant passage: Article, full text
About this source
Al Jazeera report on the halt, including the Gaza Government Media Office's response to COGAT.
- Author
- Al Jazeera Staff, with AP and Reuters
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Israel to resume commercial shipments to Gaza after Hamas fee dispute
Relevant passage: Article, full text
About this source
Reuters report, republished by Al-Monitor, on COGAT's decision to resume commercial shipments into Gaza.
- Author
- Nidal al-Mughrabi, Reuters
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Israel says commercial goods no longer entering Gaza after merchants suspend coordination
Relevant passage: Article, full text
About this source
Reuters report, republished by Al-Monitor, on COGAT's announcement and Hamas's description of the 10,000-shekel payment.
- Author
- Alexander Cornwell and Nidal al-Mughrabi, Reuters
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Commercial goods are no longer entering Gaza, raising fears of worsening shortages in the territory
Relevant passage: Article, full text
About this source
Associated Press report, republished by KSAT, with comments from COGAT's deputy spokesperson, the head of Gaza's private truckers union and the Norwegian Refugee Council.
- Author
- Sam Metz and Bassem Mroue, Associated Press
- Published
- Accessed
Official statement
Government Media Office press statement responding to COGAT on the entry of commercial goods into Gaza (in Arabic)
Relevant passage: Telegram posts 5186 and 5187, full text
About this source
Arabic-language statement from the Gaza Government Media Office, dated Thursday, October 15, 2026, rejecting COGAT's account of truck fees and cash rules, posted on its Telegram channel in two parts.
- Author
- Government Media Office, Gaza Strip
- Published
- Accessed
Original post
COGAT on X: coordination of goods into Gaza to resume after merchants report Hamas withdrew its demands
About this source
COGAT's post announcing that coordination of commercial goods into Gaza will resume gradually, with payments required by documented bank transfer.
- Author
- COGAT (@cogatonline)
- Published
- Accessed
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Cite this record
- Publisher
- The Dispute Index
- Title
- Israel says commercial goods stopped entering Gaza over Hamas truck fees; Gaza's government denies imposing them
- First published
- Last updated
- Permalink
- https://disputeindex.com/cases/gaza-commercial-goods-hamas-truck-fees
The Dispute Index. "Israel says commercial goods stopped entering Gaza over Hamas truck fees; Gaza's government denies imposing them". First published: 2026-10-21. Last updated: 2026-10-21. https://disputeindex.com/cases/gaza-commercial-goods-hamas-truck-fees